Blockchain Technology Can Protect Copyrights

Currently, many people have violated copyright and intellectual property rights, including in the form of digital works, music, pictures, videos, and so on. Internet access and the digital world have made it easier for everyone to publish their work, so this phenomenon cannot be avoided. However, the presence of Blockchain can be a solution in detecting copyright abuse, but what is the mechanism? Check out the following post.
February 7, 2022

Blockchain technology has come a long way, commonly associated with cryptocurrencies and is used to secure online payment security and privacy. However, it is extended to all types of digital transactions. People are currently understanding the benefits of Bitcoin's innovation in a variety of industries. From banking to insurance, many industries are using blockchain into their infrastructure and services. Blockchain technology can possibly assist in the creation of a registry of unregistered IP rights, such as unregistered design rights and copyright, by effectively providing proof of the period of existence, rights management information, intellectual rights and jurisdictional requirements.

What is Copyright?

Copyright protects an individual's original literary or artistic contribution that is fixed in a tangible medium of communication. Because copyright is governed by national legislation and hence centralized government authority, the breadth of security is, of course, determined by the rules of the country. 

Copyright is the exclusive right of the Creator or Copyright Holder to regulate, announce or reproduce the use of the results of casting ideas, creations or certain information or giving permission for it without reducing restrictions according to the applicable laws and regulations.


Copyright Violation and Infringement

With the rapid rise of the digital publication sector, the situation of digital copyright violation is getting increasingly serious, and numerous twisting cases are considerably decreasing the passion of the original authors. Over the years, blockchain has attracted significant attention as an emerging information security system and has evolved into a powerful component of data protection.

Copyright infringement (also known as piracy) occurs when works protected by copyright are used without permission for a purpose for which permission is required, thereby infringing on the copyright holder's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce, distribute, display, or perform the protected work, or the right to create derivative works. The work's originator, or a publisher or other business to whom copyright has been granted, is usually the copyright holder. To prevent and punish copyright infringement, copyright holders frequently use legal and technological methods.

Direct negotiation, a notice and takedown process, or civil lawsuit are the most common ways to resolve copyright infringement disputes. Commercial infringement that is egregious or large-scale, especially when it involves counterfeiting, is occasionally pursued through the criminal justice system. Shifting public expectations, advances in digital technology, and the expanding reach of the Internet have resulted in such widespread, anonymous infringement that copyright-dependent industries are now focusing less on pursuing individuals who seek and share copyright-protected content online and more on expanding copyright law to recognize and penalize service providers and software distributors who are said to facilitate and encourage individual acts as indirect infringers.

How Blockchain Protects Copyright?

Blockchain is a decentralized technology that is commonly connected with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and is designed to ensure the confidentiality and anonymity of online transactions. The name "blockchain" comes from the fact that it functions as a distributed, and thus decentralized, digital accounting ledger in which the records are blocks that are cryptographically coupled and encrypted. After distributed validation, in which the rest of the network users participate, each block is cryptographically connected to the previous one, avoiding the usage of expensive middlemen. The insertion of new blocks frequently prevents the modification or deletion of previous blocks, preventing manipulation.

By combining blockchain technology with the registration and protection of digital rights, the digital copyright data is contained in the block, and each block is linked to the block chain in the form of a time stamp by a hash pointer to the hash value of the previous block, ensuring that the digital copyright information cannot be manipulated. Not only can blockchain assist in the implementation of legal rights, but it is also being used by a number of firms to construct payment procedures that are nearly totally automated.

Blockai, Mediachain, Ascribe, and Ujo Music are among the companies that use blockchain technology to register and protect copyrights today. Individuals can not only find this artwork through various channels, but they can also use and exchange it in a way that does not infringe on the creators' rights. The information contained in the blockchain is supposed to be durable, have durability, and be a highly dependable source as long as the members of the blockchain are strong and the data in question is spread among the chain.

Here are some examples of how companies use blockchain to protect copyright.

  • Blockai, a blockchain-based service for writers and artists, employs time stamps to record the development of new works. Each user has a profile that controls access to certain information and manages their certificates. Once the works are uploaded, they may be traced, copyright infringements can be automatically recognized, and the owner can be notified of unauthorized access.
  • Mediachain Lab, situated in Brooklyn, provides a stock photo service that leverages blockchain technology to connect media content to its creators. Users search for keywords or upload a photo to identify content that is identical or similar, as well as the right holders, place of origin, and topic. The photographs can then be used with the author's name automatically credited. Authors may reach a broader audience while keeping control of their data with this software.
  • According to Ascribe from Berlin, authors can register their digital works on a blockchain for free and make the accompanying usage rights public. In this structure, neither data is lost nor is it modified thereafter. However, determining which data is legitimate and which is potentially counterfeit in a decentralized network is a major difficulty. The blockchain now overcomes this problem by using economic incentives (bitcoins) to encourage people to play by the rules rather than against them.
  • The London-based company Ujo Music provides musicians with an internet infrastructure that allows them to self-publish their music without the involvement of large labels or music publishers, as well as establish and manage their own marketing and data collection. Simultaneously, a payment infrastructure is in the testing phase. The price of a download, a commercial remix, or use by music portals is set by the composer of the piece of music. The cryptocurrency Ether is used to make payments at Ujo Music. This allows you to keep track of all transactions and splits.


Conclusion

When it comes to the future of blockchain technology, there are endless opportunities for innovators and people of all types. People who use blockchain can potentially protect their intellectual property from cyber theft by implementing a system that links the data connected with their work to other pieces of information from its birth. While there is still a lot to learn about this potentially revolutionary approach, there is little doubt that it has the potential to change the way we think about copyright law.

Written by Denny Fardian
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